Sewing-machine attachment for overedge-stitching.



Patented July 23, MN. T. H. ROSS &. E. DONALDSON. SEWING MACHINEATTACHMENT FOB OVEBEDGE STITGHING.

(Application filed Feb. 1, 1901.) ,(No Model.) 3 Sheets$heet l.

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No. 678,908. Patented July 23, mm.

T. n. 808$ & E. DONA'LDSON. SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT FUR UVEREDGESTITOHING.

(Application filed Feb. 1, 1901.) (No Muriel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Savant;

No. 678,908. Patented July 23,-l9fll.

T. H. 8088 &. E. DONALIJSON.

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR OVEREDGE STiTCHiNG.

(Application Bled Feb. 1.1901. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shoat 3. v

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UNrrED STATES 1i union.

PATENT THOMAS H. ROSS AND EDWIN DONALDSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,ASSIGNORS TO THE ROSS ATTACHMENT AND MACHINE COMPANY, OF

NET/V YORK, N. Y.

SEWlNG-MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR OVEREDGE-STITCHING.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 678,908, dated July 23,1901. i I Application filed February 1 1901. Serial No. 45,626, (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS H. ROSS, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and EDWIN DONALDSON, a citizen of the United States, bothresidents of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-MachineAttachments for Overedge-Stitching, of which the following is to a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable those skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The invention relates to improvements in sewing-machine attachments ofthat class which are used for intermittently diverting the course of thefabric from its path of travel through the line of reciprocation of theneedle for the purpose of forming overedge-stitches,

and it more particularly relates to improvements in the attachmentdisclosed in the application for patent filed by us October 2, 1900, andwhich bears Serial No. 31,771.

The invention consists in the novel con-. struction, combination, andarrangement of parts, such as will be hereinafter fully described,pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an attachmentembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 ofFig. 3 and on the line 2 2 of Fig. 7. Fig. 3 is a similar view on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2 and also on the line 3 3 of Fig. 7. Fig. 4 is anenlarged detail perspective view showing the pusher-bar. Fig. 5 is afront elevation of the attachment. Fig. 6 is a detailsectional viewshowing the presser-foot. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the attachment.Fig. Sis a bottom plan view of the same without the presser-foot. Fig. 9is a sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 11. Fig. 10 is a similarview on the line 10 10 of Fig. 12. Fig. 11 is a plan view of theattachment without the presser-foot, showing the pusher-bar in anadvanced position forcing the fabric out of the line of reciprocation ofthe needle. Fig.

guide-block in a straight line.

12 is a similar view showing the pusher-bar retracted and the fabric inits original position. Figs. 13 and 14 are detail sectional Viewsrespectively showing the pusher-bar in advanced and retracted positionsin'making serging stitches. Fig. 15 is a plan View showing theattachment as it appears in making serging stitches.

Only so much of the sewing-machine is shown as is necessary toillustrate the operation of the attachment. The work-plate A, theneedle-bar A, and the presser-foot bar A may be of any constructionsuitable in the premises. In the needle-bar is secured the usual needleA by the set-screw A On the lower end of the bar A is attached thepresser-foot, which will be hereinafter particularly described. On thework-plate A is secured the attachment adjacent to the presser-foot andneedle-bars, and also in such a position that the work-face of the baseB will be contiguous to the line of travel taken by the fabric beingstitched.

Mechanism is provided for adjustably securing the attachment to the workplate. The base B has an extension B, provided with a recess B throughwhich the screw 13 is adapted to pass and by clamping the base betweenits head and the work-plate serves to hold the attachment in place. Theshank of the screw passes through an opening in the end of theguide-block B located in the recess B The shank of the screw fits snuglyin the opening, so that the block will have as little play as possiblerelatively to the screw.

A second screw B passes through the'guideblock and serves to clamp thelatter to the work-plate. By means of the block and the two screws theattachment can be secured to the work-plate so that it can move only ina straight line.

Means for moving the attachment relatively to the guide-block arefurnished. A screwthreaded rod B extends from the guide-block and isengaged by the thumb-nut B The latter has a collar B journaled in therecess B in the extension B. By turning the thumb-nut when the screw Bis loose the attachment can be moved relatively to the A considerableturning of the thumb-nut, according to the pitch of the engagingscrew-threads, will move the attachment but slightly. Consequently quitean accurate adjustment of the attachment relatively to the line ofreciprocation of the needle can be secured. This is required to adaptthe device to fabrics of different thicknesses.

The work-face of the base has, as shown in the drawings, preferably twosurfaces O 0*, respectively relatively inclined to each other andmeeting at the recess 0 in the line of reciprocation of the needle. Theface 0', be-, ing the face on the feeding-in side of the attachment, isinclined relatively to the direction in which the fabric is moved by thefeed mechanism across the work-plate. The ob jectin havingthe face 0thus inclined is; to

insure the proper presentation of thefabricv to thefne'edle on thereturn of the .latterlto, normalv position after displacement, by the,p'u'sherrbar. we have found that where the face 0 on the feeding-in sideof theattachment is straight or parallel with the direction.

of the line of the. feed and the machine operated at a high rate ofspeed all fabrics will not, invariably spring back quickly enough norfar enough after they have been released by the pusher-bar to insuresuch hold by the. By pulling.

stitchas is sometimes desirable. the edge of the fabric into a newdirectiouas itpas'ses theend of the aforesaid inclined surface, of thework-face on its way to theneedle thematerial is subjected tosuchtensionas to cause it more readily and quickly to re.-

sume its. normal position, and thus throw its edge, back past the lineof reciprocation of theheedle' after. release by the pusher-bar.

In the lower edges of the surfaces C andC are the grooves C and. 0respectively. These. grooves, preferably gradually increase in depfthfas they leavethe recess 0 Their. 1 p drpose is to enable theoperator to see the outeredgefof the lower fold of the fabrieto,

afbetter-advantag'e as itis fed into. the at: tachment, and thereby bemore. certain that a properpresentation of the foldsismade to theneedle, Also,'they insure a slight projection of theedge of thelowerfold beyond the other folds, so that the engagementof the threads in theoutside stitch will be with-1 inthe fabrictoa slight extent instead of.outside it, as would occur if no such provision were made.

ward its, outer end,; the fabric will. readily, pass'from theattachment. The groovesalso particularly adapt theattachment to serging.

Irithe under side of thebaseB is the'gu'ide;

As the. feeding-in groove 0 is preferablyfdeeper atits outer end,thefabric.v willreadily, enter the same, and as it. de-i creases indepthtoward itsinner end the fab way D, leading to the recess 0 and also tothe meeting place of the surfaces 0 and 0 In this guideway is mountedthe pusher-bar D, so that it can be intermittently projected into thepath of travel of the fabric and into the line of reciprocation of theneedle. At its forward end-the pusher-bar is bifurcated, .as at D toregister with. the needle when the latter descends when the pusher-baris in an advanced position. It is also recessed, as at D to registerwith the grooves C and 0 when it is in a retracted position. It is heldin place and its movement is limited by the plate D engaging with therecess D in its under side. Projecting from the sides of the pusher-barare the extensions D and D respectively, which extend upwardly throughthe recess D in the base. The pusher-bar is reciprocatedby thethree-sidedcam E, rotatably mounted between the extensions D and-D Thecam is mounted onv the end of the .trundle-wheeLE' and turnswiththelatter. The trundle-wheelhas six spokes, one for eachangle, and eachside ofvtlie cam, so that by intermittentlyturningthe same onesixth ofrarotation the angles and sides are alternately and-successively broughtto bear spring D securedto the rear extension D so'as to. reciprocatethe pusher bar back and forth. The, spring 'D interposed between the camand theextension D serves to take whentheattachment is. runat a highrate of speed, To prevent the. trundle-wheel from ioverrunnihg, a springD secured to the base, bearsonthe spokes. This spring not only act-sas.a brake, but italso serves to turn the wheel slightly by its ca m-face.D bearing on }a spokev after the wheel has been turned to a certainpoint.

v Mechanism is providedfor conveying motion fromtheneedle-bar to the trundle-wheel to, rotate the latter. On the baseB is mounted the standardF, and in. the face of thelatteristhe vertical guideway F-,in whichmoves the slide-bar F from the upper end of which projects the. arm FThe latter has a downward extension F which can be cut to accommodatethe attachment to .machines of different makes. Theslide-bar is normallydepressed by the spring F secured .to the standard. It isreciprocated-vertically and against theaction of the. spring .by the.setscrewAi, carried by the needle-bar engaging with the extension F asthe machine is operated. To the lower end of the slide-bar is pivotedthe pawl ,F, the, lower end of which islnormallypressed toward thetrundle-wheel bythe springl i, which also tends to press theflower endof the pawl is such that on its upward movement itiwill engage with oneof the spokesofthe trundle-wheel andon its downward. movementwilldisengage. The

on the, forward extension D and onv the up anylost motion and also toprevent noise theslide-bar downward. The formation of.

upper end of the pawl is bifurcated and fits over the lower end of theslide-bar. The members of the bifurcation by striking against theslide-bar limit the movement of the pawl about its pivotal point. By thereciprocation of the pawl the trundle-wheel is given one-sixth of acomplete rotation at each upward movement, so that an angle and a sideof the cam are successively brought to bear on the forward extension Dand the spring D and the pusher-bar thereby reciprocated. The movementof the slide-bar is limited by the arm F striking the upper end of thestandard and the upper end of the pawl striking the lower end of theguideway.

In attachments of this kind much trouble is experienced in workingseamed fabrics, for when one of the latter is folded where the seamoccurs it is quite difficult to pass it beneath the ordinarypresser-foot. To overcome this difficulty, a special presser-foot isprovided. To the lower end of the rod A is attached the casing H, andthe latter has pi voted to an end the bell-crank H. In the upper part ofthe casingis the chamber H and located therein is the spring H bearingon the upper" end of the bell-crank and normally pressing it outwardly.To the lower end of the bell-crank is pivoted the shoe H The pivotalconnection between the bell-crank and the shoe is such that the lattercan be rocked only to a limited extent. The shoe has considerable lengthand is recessed at H to receive the fabric and the end of the pusherbar.When the seamed part of the fabric approaches the shoe, owing to thelatters length and longitudinal curvature it passes beneath the forwardend and rocks the shoe to a limited extent. As it moves beneath the shoethe latter not only rocks to accommodate it, but also moves upwardlyagainst the action of the spring H pressing on the bellcrank. In thisway the fabric is not only pressed evenly against the feed-dog, but theseamed portion is passed along without interference.

Means are provided for connecting the presser-foot with the attachment,so that their proper relative adjustments can be secured. Transverselythrough the casing H an opening extends, and in the same is placed thehorizontal arm H of the angular rod H This arm is held in place in thecasing by the set-screw H The vertical arm H enters the vertical openingH of the extension H of the base. As the distance between the needle andresser-foot bars varies in different machines and even in machines ofthe same make and pattern, means are provided for accommodating theattachment to such variations. In the opening H and around the verticalarm H is the eccentric-sleeve H provided with an arm H for turning thesame. By rotating the sleeve more or less the presserfoot can be movedrelatively to the attachment, so that it can be attached to thepresserfoot bar after the attachment has been secured in the properposition relatively to the needle-bar. A set-screw H is provided forsecuring the sleeve in place.

The operation of the device is as follows: After the attachment has beensecured and adjusted the operator folds the fabric to suit the desiredstitchfor example, it is folded for blind-stitching, as shown in Figs. 9to 12, inclusive. When folded properly, the edge of the lower foldshould project beyond the upper folds, so that when the fabric is fed tothe attachment the said edge enters the groove 0 in the work-face.v Asthe operator can always see the edge of the lower fold until it entersthe groove, he will know that up to that point at least the fabric willbe folded properly. The relative positions of the folds will also bepreserved as the fabric passes the pusher-bar, owing to the recess D inthe latter. When the pusher-bar is in a retracted position,the recesswill register with the groove, and when it is in an advanced po sitionthe edge of the fold engages with the recess, and thereby the relativepositions of the folds are preserved. As the direction of its path oftravel is changed as it approaches the pusher-bar, the fabric will bepulled and pressed against the inner terminal of the inclined surface 0of the work-face of the base. This angular tension of the material atthe point referred to causes it to spring back underneath the needlewhen released from the compression of the pusher-bar on the retractionof the latter. Furthermore, the grooves in the surfaces of the work-faceparticularly adapt the attachment to serging. Such an application isshown in Figs. 13, 14, and 15 of the drawings. It is obvious that thedevice can be adapted to the making of stitches of otherpatterns.

WVhile we have shown in that example of our attachment illustrated bythe drawings a work-face having two relatively-inclined surfaces, itshould be understood that one of said surfaces which extends beyond theneedle is not essential to the above-described operation of our deviceand does not necessarily participate in the formation of the stitch andseam and that the value of the inclination of the surface against whichthe fabric is pushed on its way to the needle does not depend upon itsrelation to the surface of the work-face beyond the needle, but upon therelation of that inclination to the direction of the movement of thefabric caused by the feed and the retraction of the pusher-bar.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is-.

1. In a sewing-machine attachment, a base provided with a work-faceformed of two relatively-inclined surfaces, a pusher-bar mounted in saidbase and adapted to be projected tively-inclined surfaces and havinggrooves at the lower edges of said surfaces, a pusherbar mounted in saidbase and adapted to be projected through said work-face atthemeeting-placeof said-surfaces and having arecess adapted to registerwith said grooves, and means for reciprocatingsaid' pusher-bar.

4. Ina sewing-machine attachment, thecombination of a presser-footprovided with means for attaching the same to a bar and' having anopening through the same, the base.

of anattachment provided with a bearing, an eccentric sleeve journaledin saidbearing, means for turning said sleeve, a-rod having one endinserted in the opening in t-he presserfoot and the other end in saidsleeve, and

means for securing said rod in place.

5. In a sewing-machine attachment, the

combination of apresser-foot provided with means for attaching it to abar and having an opening through the same, the base of anattachment'provided with a bearing, an eccentric sleeve jou-rnaled insaid bearing, an

arm carried by said sleeve for turning thesame a set-screw passingthrough said base. and impinging on said sleeve for securingthe' latterin its adjustment, a rod having one end inserted "in the openingin theresser-foot and the other end in said sleeve, and means for securingsaid rod in place.

6. In a sewing-machine attachment, a base provided with a guideway,apusher-barmovable back and forth in said guideway, a shoe carriedadjacentto said base and provided with a recess adapted to register withsaid pusher-bar when the latter is projected beyond said base, a casingprovided with means forsecuring it to a bar, a bell-crank pivoted tosaid casing and at the end of one of its arms pivotally connected withsaid shoe, and a spring in said casing bearing on the free end of theother arm of said bell-crank.

7. In a sewing machine attachment, a pusher-bar movable back and forth,exten sions carried by said pusher-bar,a cam mounted between saidextensions adapted to bear on one of said extensions, a spring securedto the other of said extensions and interposed between the latter andsaid cam, and means for rotating said cam.

8. In a sewing-machineattachment,a guideblock, a clampingscrew passingthrough said guide-block for securing the same to a workplate, a baseprovided with a recess adapted to register with said guide-block, a rodconnected with said guide-block, a' thumb-nut journaled in said base andengaging with said rod, and a clamping-screw passing through said baseand said guide-block for securing the same to the work-plate. v

9. In a sewing-machine attachment, a movable pusher-bar, a cam engagingwith said p-usherbar to reciprocate the same, a trundlewheel forrotating said earn, a slide-bar, a pawl adapted to' engage with saidtrundle- W-heel pivoted to said slide-bar with its connected endbifurcated and registering with the slide-bar to limit the movement ofsaid pawl, and means for reciprocating said slidebar.

10'. In a sewing-machine attachment a base provided with a work-face thesurface of which on the feeding-in side of the attachment is inclinedrelatively to the direction of the'feed of the goods'and havinga grooveat the lower edge of said surface, a pusher-bar mounted in said base andadapted to be projected through said Work-face near the termination ofsaid inclined grooved surface, and means for reciprocatingsaidpusher-bar, substantially as and for the purposes described.

11. Ina sewing-machine attachment, a base provided with a work-face, thesurface'of which on the feeding-in side of the attachment isinclined'relatively to the direction of lhe feed of the goods and isprovided with a groove, a pusher-bar mounted in said base, and adaptedto be projected through said work face near the termination of saidgrooved'inclinedsurface and having a recess adapted to register withsaid grooveand means for reciprocatingsaid pusher-bar, substantially asand'for the purposes described.

12.- In a sewing-machine attachment a base provided with a work-face thesurface of which in the feeding-in side of the attachment is inclinedrelatively to the direction of the feed of the goods, a guideway in saidbase, a pusher-bar movable in said guideway, a standard mounted on saidbase and provided with a guideway and a slide-bar movable in theguideway of the standard, and adapted to be' reciproc'ated by theneedle-bar and mechanism for conveying motion from said slide-bar tosaid pusher-bar to reciprocate the latter through said Work-face nearthe termination-of said inclined face thereof, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

13. In a sewing-machine the combination of a stitching mechanism, afeeding mechanism, a presser-foot, and an attachment having a baseprovided with a work-face the surface of which in the feeding-in side ofthe attachment is inclined relatively to the direction of the feed ofthe goods, a guideway in said base, a pusher-bar movable in saidguideway, a standard mounted on said base, and provided with a guideway,a slide-bar movable in the guideway of the standard, and adapted to bereciprocated by the needle-bar, and mechanism for conveying motion fromsaid slide-bar to said pusher-bar to reciprocate the latter through saidWork-face near the termination of said inclined face thereof,substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our slgnatures in the presence oftwo witnesses. 1o

THOMAS H. ROSS. EDWIN DONALDSON.

Witnesses:

LINCOLN McCoRMAoK, T. F. FAY.

